Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Captain

Unit:

Long Range Desert Group, British Army

Awarded on:

February 28th, 1941

Citation:
"During the six months which have elapsed since he was commissioned from civil life Captain CLAYTON has most successfully carried out four daring exploits far behind the enemy's lines. Each demanded enterprise and powers of military leadership and organisation of a very high order.
(a) Immediately on joining this newly-formed unit CALYTON suggested, and then organised the first long reconnaissance expedition across the Sand Sea into Italian LIBYA. He set out ten days after his arrival with a party of five picked men in two light cars, and returned twelve days later having covered 1500 miles of desert.
On this mission he (i) accomplished the first crossing ever attempted by a military force of the 140 miles of immense sand dunes seperating EGYPT from LIBYA, (ii) discovered and crossed a second dune field of almost equal width, (iii) penetrated 200 miles into enemy territory and remained there for four days watching the JALO-KUFRA road in and August temperature of 125 degrees. By this pioneering feat he paved the way for the many subsequent activities of the Long Range Desert Group.
(b) On the second expedition durng September 1940 he led his patrol of 30 men successfully from SIWA across 700 miles of enemy territory to French EQUATORIA and back, a total distance of 3200 miles, returning with much valuable information, both military and geographical.
(c) On a third raid across the great sands he penetrated NORTH Westward from JALO for a considerable distance along the enemy's main road to AJEDABIA, and on the way back attacked and captured the fort of AUGILA 200 miles behind the Italian lines. He was pursued by enemy aircraft but successfully evaded them.
(d) During January 1941 he commanded the British force of two patrols which travelled direct from CAIRO to Northern TIBESTI, and thence, having picked up a small party of four Free French officers and N.C.O.'s raided MURZUK, TRAGHEN, UMM EL ARENAB and GATRUN in FEZZAN before putting in at ZOUAR for supplies. On this outward journey the force traversed enemy territory for 1400 miles, by a new route containing difficult passages through dune fields which the enemy had previously attempted to force without success. He reached ZOUAR without the loss of a single vehicle out of the total column of 35.
To have made these tremendous journeys over unmapped desert and across the most formidable sand dune areas in the world in peace time, at leisure and with a picked party of experts would have been an outstandng feat. CLAYTON made them under was conditions, in command of troops who perforce had no previous experience of the desert, in constant danger of attack by enemy aircraft and with the knowledge that the evacuation of seriously wounded would be impossible. At the far end of the journed he has, on two occasions, engaged the enemy in successful actions."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Captain

Unit:

Long Range Desert Group, British Army

Awarded on:

April 29th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Major

Unit:

Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

November 15th, 1945

Citation:
"Following his capture in the Western Desert on 1 Feb 41, Major CLAYTON was imprisoned at SULMONA and VEANO (Italy).
After his release from the latter camp on 9 Sep 43, he travelled South in an effort to reach Allied lines but was caught by the Germans on 22 Dec 43. Although he succeeded in eluding his captors he was again apprhended on 8 Jan 44, and entrained for Germany.
En route he took part in an escape attempt, but only two officers got away. Throughout the four years of his captivity, Major CLAYTON did valuable work forging passes, identity cards and ration cards, and copying maps. He was also in secret communication with the War Office. Two senior officers have commended Major Clayton for his Intelligence activities."